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Mondeo Man gives way to Freelander Woman

Mondeo Man swung it in 1997. Aspirational and working class, he came to represent the ultimate in swing voters and jumped from Tory to Labour in numbers.

Eight years on and the ubiquitous Ford saloon has been replaced by new makes and models, a love affair with 4x4s and a new target for the pollsters. Mondeo Man has become Freelander Woman.

According to a study by the market research firm Experian, the link between car ownership and voting intention is as strong as ever. And most prominent among those likely to swing either way this time are owners of the Freelander — the compact Land Rover designed as an off-roader but more often seen negotiating the school run.

Freelander Woman is a busy mother, perhaps working full or part-time, and living on the leafy side of town; someone who has become better off under Labour but who now feels politically disaffected,